Finding Out About the Future
by ImperialMoonBeing
Summary: **Used to be called Reading the Last Olympian**This was made out of my imagination on what would happen if the Olympians read The Last Olympian. **Chapter 5 now up!**
1. Chapter 1 Finding the book

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Percy Jackson, it all belongs to Rick Riordan!

(A.N.) This just became out of my imagination and of course Percy Jackson! Takes place a couple years before the Percy Jackson series!

Chapter 1: Finding the Book

It was a normal day up on Olympus. Well as normal as you can get with 12 crazed immortal beings. Lord Zeus was upon his throne looking about the majestic throne room. Lord Apollo and Lady Artemis were bickering, while Lord Ares was instigating. Lady Aphrodite was fixing her makeup and Lord Hephaestus was rewiring his throne defense mechanism. Lord Poseidon was upon his throne polishing his trident, trying not to glare at his niece, the goddess of wisdom herself: Athena. Then, all of a sudden, Lord Hermes pops right into the throne room caring a single, hard cover book in his hands.

"Yo bro, is that a book?" said Apollo.

"Yeah actually it is. But it seems pretty interesting. I was just checking on the mortals when this damn book lands on my head! Oh, and there was a note attached to it. It said _Dear Olympians,_

_If you are to read this book, have Chiron, Lord Hades, Lady Persephone, and Lady Hestia join you. Better to listen to us than not,_

_Sincerely,_

_The Fates" finished Hermes._

Well then, commented Athena, let us call them. Zeus was angered that his brother had to come, but knew better than to disobey the Fates. Demeter didn't really care what the book was about, she was just so happy to see her Kore (A.N. Persephone before she was wedded to Hades) again. When the others and Hades had arrived, he quickly shot Zeus a death glare and was going to say something biting to him, but held his tongue. Hestia took a seat right next to Poseidon, he was her favorite sibling after all. Chiron just stood preferring not to sit down, and Persephone sat next to her husband on their makeshift seats presented to them, much to the dismay of her mother. "So," Hermes said, "I guess I'll start. The title is The Last Olympian." 

(A.N.) Sorry if it's bad I just made this up on the spot! Ehhh…You don't have to review.


	2. Chapter 2 A Son of Poseidon

(A.N.) So…. Second chapter. I give my thanks to **Kronos Army** for a kind review. If there is any confusion this takes place before the Lightning Thief, around the time when Thalia was turned into a pine tree and Annabeth had reached Camp with Luke. So without further delay, here you peoples go:

Disclaimer: The Last Olympian and everything else Percy Jackson is Rick Riordan's!

**Bold**- the Last Olympian story

Chapter Two: I Go Cruising With Explosives

Hermes was about to begin,"Chap-", but before he could get anything else out, Ares interrupted, "Do we have to read? It's sooo boring!" "No, it's

not!," thundered Athena. "It's useful, informing, and fun!" "What would you know of fun Athena?", remarked Poseidon. "Stay out of this

Poseidon!" roared back Athena. "Can we just start the gods forsaken book already! The faster we finish the damn book, the more time I'll have

with Persephone!" yelled Hades. "Well, in that case take forever Hermes," said Demeter, munching on some cereal and glaring at her brother.

"Yes, sister dear because we would all rather watch you get high of wheat cereal!" sneered Hades. In the background Poseidon and Athena were

still bickering, while Ares, being Ares was instigating their fight. Apollo and Artemis were also quarreling about which of the two were older. Apollo

kept saying he was the eldest (even though he knows he is the youngest, he just likes pushing his sister's buttons) Hera was disdainfully glaring

at Hephaestus ( she absolutely hated the way he looked) who was ignoring his mother and fixing some mechanical device from his workshop. All

the while, Aphrodite was chatting admirably with, well, herself with a mirror. When the noise became too much Zeus roared, "SILENCE!", who was

actually getting a migraine from all this. "Please, can you all just get along so we may read the book, There might be some valuable information,

perhaps about your downfall, the book is titled _The Last Olympian_ after all. It's a little eerie if you ask me." Chiron stated softly. Hestia started,

"Yes Chiron is-", but could not finish her statement, for Athena had interrupted, "Chiron is correct, the book could provide information of us.

Hermes please begin" Hestia just glared softly at her niece, and laid her head down on Poseidon's shoulder (he was her favorite sibling after all)

She also agreed with him full heartedly; that Athena WAS a boring ( all she did was read and boss people around), uptight ( her niece really

needed to loosen up), attention-seeking, owl-headed, know-it-all. She was the goddess of wisdom, pshhh, so what! Before she could think

anything else Hermes began, **Chapter 1: I Go Cruising With Explosives** "Who would want to go cruising with explosives? Those people could get

blown up," stated Apollo. "Apollo be quiet! I'm trying to listen!" thundered Athena. Yup, definitely uptight and very narcissistic, thought Hestia. **The **

**end of the world started when a pegasus landed on the hood of my car. **"How does the end of the world come like that? That's so boring,"

commented Ares. "There should be death and destruction, and earthquakes and apocalypses! Not a damn pegasus!" **Up until then, I was having **

**a great afternoon. Technically, I wasn't supposed to be driving because I wouldn't turn sixteen for another week, **"Then this is not one of my

children," stated Athena "They wouldn't be so insensible" **but my mom and my stepdad, Paul took my friend Rachel **"Just friend, suuuure," said

Aphrodite.** and me to this private stretch of beach on the South Shore, **"Ooooh, so this demigod lives in New York!," Squealed Aphrodite "I can

totally mess with his love life even more knowing that he lives close by!" "Aphrodite leave the poor boy alone." Said Poseidon. He didn't know why,

but he felt like he had a connection with this demigod. "When did you get all maternal, brother?" questioned Zeus. Before anything happened

though Hestia said, "Do continue Hermes." **and Pal let us borrow his Prius for a short spin. Now, I know what you're thinking,** "No, you don't,"

replied Hermes. "Hermes will you get on with the story!" roared Hades. If this was how long a chapter was going to take, he wouldn't be able to

see Persephone off. "Please continue Hermes," Persephone said softly, grasping her husband's hand. _**Wow, that was really irresponsible of **_

_**him, blah, blah, blah,**_** but Paul knows me pretty well. He's seen me slice up demons and leap out of exploding school buildings,** "Horrid child,"

sniffed Hera.** so he probably figured taking a car out a few hundred yards wasn't exactly the most dangerous thing I'd done. Anyway, Rachel **

**and I were driving along. It was a hot August day. Rachel's red hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she wore a white blouse over her **

**swimsuit. I'd never seen her in anything but ratty T-shirt and paint-splattered jeans **"Oh she is definitely not my child," said Aphrodite, "My

children have such better taste in apparel." **before, and she looked like a million golden drachmas. **" Aww, that's so sweet!," squealed

Aphrodite. "Aphrodite leave the boy alone, gods," Poseidon said exasperatedly. "Why are you defending him Poseidon?" asked Demeter. "Yes,

Poseidon why are YOU defending him," asked Zeus. Poseidon just replied," Continue Hermes." **"Oh, pull up right there!" she told me. We parked **

**on a ridge overlooking the Atlantic. The sea is always one of my favorite places,** At this statement Poseidon raised an eyebrow. Is this Percy?

He thought. Is he the one of the prophecy? **but today it was especially nice- glittery green and smooth as glass, as though my dad was **

**keeping it calm for us. **The room went deathly silent for a moment. Ahh, thought Poseidon, so this is Percy. All was quiet, until Zeus yelled at his

brother "You had a child!" "You had a child as well brother," Poseidon replied calmly. "You do know what this means though!" hissed Athena.

Before Poseidon could answer that, Chiron said," He is the child of the prophecy." "Exactly," hissed back Athena "Our lives lie in the hands of an

idiot sea spawn!" "My son is not a spawn, nor is he an idiot!" roared Poseidon, while unleashing his glare on Athena. Everyone avoided his glare,

even Zeus. Although Zeus was the king of the gods, his brother had the look of cold fury that only he and mother Rhea had down pact. "Please

continue on Hermes," Poseidon stated softly, surprisingly. But before Hermes could begin to read there was a flash of bright blue light, a tangle of

limbs, and a resounding thump.

(A.N.) Well, that's it for right now. Should I keep the story going? Tell me.


	3. Chapter 3 And You Are?

(A.N.) I'm sooooooo sorry I haven't updated in a while! I've been really, insanely busy with end of year tests, family, etc. Anyways, I thank those who have reviewed. So, thank you. As much as I want to make that thanks longer, we must get to the story. I also, do not have that much time to get this down either so I'm sorry if it's a little rushed. Also, in advance sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes!

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine! So sad! :(

_Thoughts_

Now on to the awaited story...

* * *

><p>The room was deathly silent, you could hear everyone breathing. The object that had made the loud ruckus were actually three objects. Those<p>

objects were actually people in all reality. There were two teenage girls and one teenage boy (they all looked well into their later teen years).

The boy, Hades noticed was fair skinned, but mostly pale. He had dark, black hair and dark eyes. He adoned black jeans and a black shirt. The boy

also looked like the brooding type (which he kinda was, not that he would actually admit that to anyone). After about a second or studying the boy,

Hades gasped in shock and recognition. _Nico! _Hades thought. No, he and Bianca, they were in the Lotus Casino, aren't they. The boy couldn't be

anyone else, but his son,for his only children at the time being were Nico and Bianca. The more Hades scrutinized the boy, the more sure he was

Nico. _No other half-blood would wear that much black voluntarily_ mused Hades.

**I*0*I*0*I*0*I*0*I**

One of the girls, Artemis noted with slight apprehension, had that silvery glow of the Hunters. She had dark, almost black, short hair and electric

blue eyes. She was also wearing a Death to Barbie T-shirt **(A.N. yes the same one from the Last Olympian)**and grayish, silver leggings. Artemis

was not the only one eying the strange newcomers warily. Zeus didn't actually know if he was seeing right. _It can't be... no it's __not...Thalia's _

_gone...but she's right there. _He was redered speecless by his conflicting thoughts.

The final person, a girl was pretty tall, about average height concluded Athena. She had blond tresses that curled perfectly at the ends and were

just shy of her ribs. She was lean and fit, and took on the stance of a fighter. She was wearing a royal blue v-neck shirt and bleached, white

short-shorts. The girl also had a celestial bronze knife strapped to her right thigh. But the most noticeable trait of the girl was her eyes. They

were a startling, shining, grey, almost silver_. Athena's _eyes noted Poseidon_ though none of that cold disdain _he mused. Actually all three persons

had confusion written all over their faces.

**(*)^(*)^(*)^(*)^(*)^(*)^(*)^(*)**

_That cannot be a daughter of Athena! _thought Aphrodite_ I mean, she absolutely stunning, she could probably even compete with the looks of my _

_children! Well, I must have blessed her because she is something fine_. Chiron stared at the blond headed girl in surprise, she looked liked an older

version of Annabeth _maybe it is _stated a little voice in the back of Chiron's head. He just put on a stoic expression and quietly waited for an

explanation. Hermes on the other hand was sputtering nonsense, (which was actually not very common) and like Zeus, was very conflicted_. No it _

_can't be...Thalia's a tree...Annabeth's with Luke at Camp...but they look exactly like them, except for the age_...Hermes was just getting a migrane

of thinking about all this.

On the other hand, Athena was evaluating the blond-headed girl. She looked solely familiar. When the girl (Annabeth obviously) gazed her right in

the eyes, Athena widened her eyes im momentary shock. _Annabeth!_ she thought. Under her analytical gaze, Annabeth (for who else migth it be)

smiled at her mother, still a trifle confused. (She absolutely hated being confused) _Hmmm _Annabeth thought_ is this what Seaweed Brain feels all the _

_time? _She snorted_That was mean, even if it was just a thought _she relented_. _

**6969696969696699696696**

Before any god was able to do anything, the trio faced them (after a brief group meeting) and came forward. (Thalia in the middle, Nico on the left,

Annabeth on the right.) They stopped a couple yards from the thrones. Each gave a bow, while acknowledging, "Lord Zeus", Thalia said, "Father".

All the gods stared in shock, "Thalia?" Zeus stated softly, "Is there any reason you summoned us here Father?", she stated back. _Why is she still_

_alive? _Hera thought angrily _I thougth she was a damn pine tree! _The rest of the gods and Chiron (of course) were just as flabbergasted.

They were all startled out of their thoughts and shocks, however, by a heisitant voice. "Lord Hermes?" questioned Annabeth softly.

He looked at her in surprise, already assuming who she was, "Yes?" he peplied kindly. "Did you like my designs?" she asked. Annabeth worked

really hard on Hermes' temple designs, she hoped she wouldn't have to redo them. _Designs? _wondered Hermes, and yet before he could finish

that thought Athena interrupted, "Designs for what, Annabeth?" The trio looked at her in confusion mostly Annabeth. Wasn't it her mother who

made her architect of Olympus? Surely she would know, right?

**!#!$!#!$!#!$!#!$!#!$!#!**

Annabeth was thinking and thinking hard. As Percy would say, you could literally see the gears turning. Finally after a long period of silence (it was

like 5 seconds) Annabeth asked "Um... What's today's date?" Lord Poseidon was the one to answer her, "2002", he stated slowly. Nico, Thalia,

and Annabeth stared at each with a jolt. 2002, that was ten years ago (in our time travelers' time)! Annabeth, who seemingly took to the role of

ambassador for the trio said unsurely, "Um... Lord Poseidon that was um... ten years ago." _Ten years ago? _they thought nonplussed_. but even time _

_travel is __not possible _thought Athena_. _"So wait, they don't know who we are, Annabeth?" asked Nico. He was getting a little worried, some of the

gods took harshly to his very existance before the war was over. "Probably", she _stated it makes the most _sense she concluded. She stepped

forward and introduced herself, "Well, considereing the fact you probably haven't met me yet, I'm Annabeth Chase", Annabeth stated confidently.

The other two actually being a smidge smart introduced themselves as well, "Thalia Grace", "Nico di Angelo". Persephone gasped in shock at that

last one. Nico having hearing that particulary loud gasp turned his head to see his Father and step-mother. Hurriedly, he strolled over,

having not noticed his Father until now (honestly only Nico could do that). Silently he stopped in front of Hades, curtly bowed and said,"Father".

Hades, was a little more than just slight abashed. "N-nico?" he managed to stutter out softly. Zeus, Hera, Demeter, and Ares stared dumbly at

him, they didn't know Hades could use, much less have that tone of voice at all. "If I may," questioned Annabeth, "Why are we here if this is a

decade back into the past, in our time of course, were you all doing something important because it doesn't look like winter yet, and Lord Hades

and Lady Persephone are here." "Not to mention Chiron," added in Thalia "He may only come when invited or when there are usually pressing

matters." "Well", said Hestia "We were reading a book. It's called _The Last Olympian. _It's about a boy named Percy, both of yours' cousin I

would presume." Hestia pointedly looked at Nico and Thalia. Annabeth, however, looked a little miffed. "Seaweed Brain has a book about him?

What? It's barely even been like five years! What!" she said disbelievingly. On the inside though Annabeth was freaking out. _Ohhh crap... _

_everything I said is in a book or maybe in bookS...and our "moments"... crap crap CRAP! "_It's in his point of view," said Apollo. "We are so reading!"

yelled Thalia and Nico. They were curious to see what their cousin thought like. "So it's settled then", said Nico smirking at Annabeth who had

just facepalmed herself while groaning, knowing full well those two just wanted to hear what Percy thought of her or about her or anything

to do with her. _Actually _thought Annabeth _I could use this as blackmail leverage, maybe this isn't so bad after all_. "Lord Hermes if you please could

you begin reading," said Thalia, eying the book in his hands.

**TBC**

(A.N.) So how was that? I'm sorry if that seemed a little rushed, but I have limited time on my hands at the moment. I'm sorry I didn't get to the actual story. I'll try to update as soon as I can. If you have any suggestions tell me, and should I bring Percy in? is my question.


	4. Chapter 4 Futuristic Insight

(A.N.) Sorry for the wait! Been really busy. And sorry if there are any grammar and spelling errors, I'm writing this on limited time. So without further ado, I present the nexr chapter:

Ohhhh and I'm making Percy a little smarter and a tad bit awesomer than he is in the books!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Percy Jackson or anything related. :(

_Thoughts_

**_Story_**

* * *

><p>"Uhh... alright, I suppose", said Hermes. He was still trying to grasp the concept<p>

that these three had just, well, time-traveled here. "We left off a couple sentences

into the story though, do any of you want me to start over?" asked Hermes. "Nah,

that's okay, just start where you left off", said Nico who sat down at his father's

feet. **(A.N. Just for future reference, the gods are on their thrones, Chiron is **

**standing)**"Alrighty then", stated Hermes, then began to read, **My dad, by the way, **

**is Poseidon.** "Wow, Seaweed Brain I wouldn't have ben able to figurethat one out,"

said Annabeth sacastically. "Seaweed Brain?" asked Poseidon with his eyebrows

raised. "Oh yeah Uncle," answers Thalia, "That's what Annabeth calls Percy.

Personally I'd go for Kelp Head instead." Poseidon, along with everyone else snorts

at this. **He can do stuff like that. ****"So" Rachel smiled at me. "**Rachel's there?"

questioned Nico. "Apparently so," says Annabeth. It didn't bother her anymore if

Percy hung out with Rachel then and now. When they started dating, he told her

everything, like how Rachel had once kissed him. Admittably, she had been trifle

mad,but then she remembered what Seaweed Brain's fatal flaw was and well, who

wouldn't be flattered to know that the person you adore would never leave you**. **Oh

and it didn't hurt either if the certain red -headed oracle was her friend.

**"Oh . . . right" I tried to sound excited. I mean, she'd asked me to her family's **

**vacation house on St. Thomas for three days.**"What!" went Nico. "And she didn't

invite me!" he went on exasperately. Annabeth and Thalia just shook their heads

while smiling. The gods,however, were watching closely. These were their grown up

children from the future for gods' sakes**. I didn't get a lot of offers like that. My **

**family's idea of a fancy vacation was a weekend in a rundown cabin on Long **

**Island with some movie rentals and a couple of frozen pizzas, ****and here Rachel's **

**folks were willing to let me tag alng to the Carribbean. **"What's he complaining

about? Those weekends are fun!" says Annabeth while the other two are just

looking in disbelief. "They are?" asked Poseidon, he was very curious to what his

son's life was like."Yeah they are," replies Nico, "Ms. Jackson makes the best blue cookies."

"That she does", agrees Thalia. All while ths questioning was happening Athena was

gazing at Annabeth_. How would she know what those weekends are like_? Before

Athena could voice this, however, Hestia said "Hermes,please continue**." Besides, I **

**seriously needed a vacation. This summer had been the hardest of my life**. The

trio's (Annabeth, Thalia,Nico) response to this was a simultaneous sigh, knowing

just how hard it was that year. **The idea of taking a break even for a few days **

**was ****really tempting. **Annabeth's response to this was another sigh, she really was

sorry for all the things she said to Percy that summer. Athena kept staring at her

daughter, wondering why she would sigh at this. _Is she feeling bad for this Son of _

_Poseidon? But no Annabeth would hate him _she thought to herself. **Still, something **

**big was supposed to go down any say now. **All the gods and Chiron were listening

attentively now.**I was "on call" for a mission. **"What mission?" asked Poseidon

quickly. "I'm sure you'll hear about it in the book," said Thalia. Nico had a sad

look on his face. Meanwhile, Annabeth rolled her eyes, Seaweed Brain still blamed

himself for Beckendorf's death. "What happend?" asked Poseidon seeing the forlorn

faces. "You'll find out." sighed Nico dejectedly. Poseidon just looked more worried

after that statement. "Really brother?"questioned Hestia. "There wouldn't be a

whole book if he died on this on ONE mission." she finished exasperatedly,

really her brother would always suspect the worst. "Continue, Hermes." said Zeus,

getting a little irritated at all the interuptions his brother was making. **Even **

**worse,****next week was my birthday. **"How is that a bad thing?" asked Apollo,

"That's totally an excuse to party!" **There was this prophecy that said ****when I **

**turned sixteen, bad things would happen. **"Oh, well, that just sucks." said Apollo. 

**"Percy," she said, "I know the timing is bad. But it's****always bad for you right**?"

"Does she know of Perseus being a demigod," Chiron asked. "Yes, she does actually.

Rachel's a clear sighted 's cool." Said Thalia. She actually really did like

Rachel. "Isn't that dangerous though?" questioned Persephone. "No, Rachel's kindof

an exception to the rules I suppose you could say." answered Annabeth. "Why?"

asked Demeter. "Who cares!" Zeus stated getting even more agitated that this was

taking so long to read the damn thing, "Continue Hermes."**She had a point. "I **

**really want to go," I promised. "It's just-" "The war**." "War!What war?" screamed

all of gods and Chiron. "Uhhhh..." stated Nico. "Well, you seein the future there's a

war with Kronos," explained Annabeth. "Well what does Percy have to do with it?"

asked Zeus, Poseidon, and Athena (all for differnt reasons)

"Well, ummm" ,Annabeth didn't really know how to break it down gently, "you see,

Percy is, well was the child of the prophecy." "What!" said Athena in an outrage "An

idiot, tactless, unskilled Son of Poseidon is the prophecy child!" Poseidon was going

to remark about how his Son was useful and how welll the boy could manage. Thalia

and Nico were going to talk about how strategic Percy was and how capable (they

would always stick up for their cousin)

Persephone,Hestia, and Chiron were about to defend Percy, he seemed like such a

nice boy. But before anyone could say anything, Annabeth angrily stated (quite loudly,in which one would call yelling)

"SeaweedBrain is not at all an idiot! He is actually

very TACTFULL and stategic and his battleprowess practically exceeds mine! What's

more he is one of the best swordsmen youall have ever seen! You all said so

yourselves!" Most of the room looked shocked at this outburst. The only two who

hadn't were Thalia and Nico. Poseidon was flabbergasted, _a daughter of Athena _

_defending my son? That cannot be correct!_ "Annabeth!" exclaimed Athena

astoundedly, "Why are you defending this, this, slimy sea spawn!" "Well, for your

information Mother", Annabeth practically sneered in a cold tone, "This sea spawn as

you call him is my best friend_." Go figure_, her mother didn't approve of their

friendship, and she was openly hostile about their relationship. Annabeth had plenty

of time to brood it over and she came knew that she could survive without her

mother, but if she was to lose Seaweed Brain, well let's not get into that. "Yeah,

it's true", replied Thalia who knew of Athena and her dislike towards her cousin,

"Those two are absolutely inseperatable." A lot of people raised their eyebrows when

this was said. Nico snorted, "Not to mention insanely in sync all the damned time

it'screepy!" "We may continue this later", said Poseidon slowly, while eying

Annabeth carefully, "Hermes continue" Everyone silently agreed with Poseidon's plan

of "later",you could almost taste the tension then cut through it by the way Mother and

Daughter were glaring each other up. **I nodded. I didn't like talking about it, but **

**Rachel knew. Unlike most mortals, she could see through the Mist-the magical **

**veil that disttorts human vision.** "I think we knew that already", said Apollo. Artemis

gave him a glare that clearly stated SHUT UP NOW. **She'd seen monsters. She'd **

**met some of the other demigods who were fightingthe Titans and their allies.**

**She'd even beeen there last summer when the chopped-up Lord Kronos rose**

**out of his coffin in a terrible new form**, "What!" most people said around the room.

They turned to the three demigods, waiting for an explanation. "It's a long story",

said Nico, eying the gods carefully. "Just keep reading**" and she'd earned my **

**permanent respect by nailing him in the eye with a plastic blue hairbrush**. "Wait ,

what! This girl is officially awesome by me!" shouted Hermes. Before anyone could

get another commet out, however, Nico and Annabeth started laughing, and I mean

the kind of laughing where-your-stomach-hurts-and-you-have-tears-in-your-eyes

laughing. "Whoa, I didn't think you guys would find that that hysterical", said Apollo.

"When you were there and witnessed Kronos get hit by a plastic brush, then it

becomes hysterical, Apollo". Annabeth didn't know how she was able to get that out.

"Y-you were there?" questioned Persephone maternally, she was softer than her

mother ever could hope to be. Having recovered from the earlier mirth, Nico

answered "Yeah, Percy and Annabeth have been on a hell lots of quests." Looking at

Annabeth with a smirk he said,"You guys hold a record or something for the most

quests in one's lifetime, and you guys are barely even twenty yet." "Most quests?"

asked Poseidon, wondering just how much danger his son had been subjectd to. "Well, uhhh... Uncle P, the war wasn't exactly what one could call um... "

Thalia started unsure of how to finish.

"Got it" Poseidon answered with a grimace. "Well on the

bright side, he's still alive my lord," offered Annabeth (of all the gods Lord Poseidon

was the one she got along with the most_) Maybe because he is exactly like _Percy.

Poseidon stared up in shock at the daughter of Athena. "Well, we will never know

what happend if we don't start reading", offered Hestia, looking at Hermes, her

nephew seemed very interesting and undoubtly friendly if he managed to

becomebest friends with a daughter of Athena no less**. She put her hand on my **

**arm. "Just ****think about it okay? We don't leave for a couple days. My dad..." Her **

**voice ****faltered. "Is he giving you a hard time?" I asked. Rachel shook her head in **

**disgust. "He's trying to be nice to me, which almost makes t worst. He wants me **

**to go to Clarion Ladies Academy in the fall**. "How is that a bad thing, she'll

learn proper etiquette and be a lady and everything." stated a confused Hera. No

oneminded her though. **"The school where your mom went?" "It's a stupid **

**finishing ****school for society girls, all the way in New Hampshire. Can you see me **

**in ****finishing school?" **"I'd rather face an eight headed hydra than go there," said

Thalia, her face distorted in disgust. "Same", replied Annabeth. **I admitted the idea **

**sounded pretty dumb. **"Obviously" said Nico, "This is Rachel after all."** Rachel was **

**into urban art projects and feeding the homeless and going to protest rallies th **

**"Save the Endagered Yellow-Bellied Sapducker" and stuff like that**. "Why

would she do that? It sounds utterly revolting! Doesn't she care of her image",

questioned Hera. Again no one paid heed to her. She huffed in annoyance at being

ignored. **I'd ****never even seen her in a dress. **"But dresses are pretty and every girl

should wear them", announced Aphrodite eying Thalia and Annabeth. Thalia and

Annabeth lookedat each other with equal horror on their faces. "Big, puffy dresses

with frills and glitter-" Hermes decided to save the two girls by continuing, **It was **

**hard to imagine ****her learning to be a socialite. She sighed. "He thinks if he does a **

**bunch of nice ****stuff for me, I'll feel guilty and give in.""Which is why he agreed to **

**let me come ****with you guys on vacation?" "Yes... but Percy, you'd be doing me a **

**hude favor. ****It would be so much bettr if you were with us. **"I really hate to admit

this, but everything is kinda beter with Percy around", claimed Thalia. "Is it now?"

questioned Zeus. "Yes, it is", answered Thalia and Nico faces devoid of any emotion, they really

did love their cousin, he was always there, and felt like actual family to Thalia,

instead of her never there father and stuck up stepmother. **Besides, there's something I want to **

**talk -" ****She stopped abruptly. "Something you want to talk about?" I asked. **

**"You ****mean ... so serious we'd have to go to St. Thomas to talk about it?" She **

**pused ****her lips. "Look, just forget it for now. Let's pretend we're just a couple of **

**normal people. We're out for a drive, and we're watching the ocean, and it's **

**nice to be together." **Annabeth raised a suspicious eyebrow, _is this when...? _**I could **

**tell something was bothering her, but she put a brave smile. The sunlight made **

**her hair look like fire. We'd spent a lot of time together this summer**.

"Ooooooh",said Aphrodite suggestively**. I hadn't exactly planned it that way, but **

**the more ****serious things got at camp, the more I found myself needing to call up **

**Rachel ****and get away, just for some breathing room. **Annabeth sighed. She felt

really bad for screaming at Percy when all he needed was a friend and a little

normalacy.** I ****needed to remind myself that the mortal world was still out there, **

**away from all ****the monsters using me as their personal punching bag. **"Are you

sure it's not the other way around Percy", snorted Nico. "Nico, you're talking to a

book", pointed outAnnabeth. "Just wait Beth, you'll be speaking to it eventually"

"Suuuure, whatever you say." Nico was about to remark back when Thalia shocked

him. "Ow! Thalia,what in the Hades was that for?" "Well if you don't shut up I won't

be as light whenI do that again" she threatened. The gods were watching this

interaction speculatively, they young demigods were rather interesting. "Hermes, if

you would", said Thalia, still glaring at Nico**. "Okay," I said. "Just a normal **

**afternoon and two normal people." She nodded. "And so... hypothetically, if **

**these two people liked each other**, Thalia and Nico looked worriedly at Annabeth.

Annabeth already knowing of the kiss between Rachel and Percy (because Seaweed

Brain wanted to be truthful and told her everything ,while Rachel was actually a

good friend, so admitted). Catching their gazes Annabeth asked "What?" and looked

innocently confused. "If there is nothing else then continue

Hermes." All the gods (and Chiron, of course) didn't fail to miss this interaction, and

unfortunately for Athena, she had come up with the most horrifying suspicions. 

**what would it take to get the stupid guy to kiss the girl, huh?" **At this comment,

Nico and Thalia's gazes were unbidden upon Annabeth, wary of her reaction. But

instead of blowing up and storming around, she said, "Idiot." "What?", asked Thalia,

she thought her friend would have became mad at this. "Oh, you don't pressure

Percy into doing anything. If you do, you have a less chance of him actually doing

it." Annabeth replied. "And how would you know that?" inquired Athena, albeit a

little stiffly. "Didn't you hear me? I said we are best friends a while ago."

reciprocated Annabeth, frostily. "Continue Hermes" **"Oh..." I felt like one of Apollo's **

**sacred cows-slow, dumb, and bright red. **Everyone laughed at this. "That's

actuallly true, though" stated Apollo, "My cows are like that**." "Um**..." "Very

articulate Seaweed Brain", Annabeth rolled her eyes. Hestia couldn't help her

curiosity, "Seaweed Brain?" "Nickname" was her answer**. I can't pretend I hadn't **

**thought about Rachel. She was so much easier to be around**. "Awww, but Percy,

since when have you liked easy?" playfully asked Nico, looking at Annabeth, who

rolled her eyes in response**. than... well, than some other girls I knew. **"That's so

mean Seaweed Brain!" said Annabeth. "Isn't it" said Thalia. "I Know", continued

Annabeth, "That's having no regard for Thalia's feeling at all!" Thalia was starting

"That's right-Wait,What?." This had Nico and Annabeth laughng. Thalia just huffed

in irritation, "Continue Hermes" she growled out. **I didn't have to work hard, or **

**watch hat I said, or rack my brain trying ti figure out what she was thinking. **

"What brain?" asked Ares, trying to be funny, all this earned was a snort from the

trio, a approving nod from Athena, and a glare from Poseidon. **Rachel didn't hide **

**much. She let you know what she felt. **"Awww, but Fish Dude, cyptic messages are

fun!" exclaimed Nico. "Nico!" Thalia warned, "Shutting up now." **I'm not sure what I **

**would have done next - but I was so distracted, I didn't notice the huge black **

**form swooping down from the sky **"What happend?" questioned the gods (mostly

Poseidon) "Not sure" And a shrug of shoulders was his reply. **until four hooves **

**landed on the hood of the Prius with a WUMP-WUMP-CRUNCH. **"Oh, just a

pegasus." relieved Poseidon. "We'll have to read about that?" squirmed Annabeth,

"About what?" asked Thalia, _Annabeth never squirms_ "Just read" **_Hey, boss_ a voice **

**said in my head. "**Boss?" surprising Hephaestus asked. He was in his throne and

this was the first he spoke all day. "Umm... yeah, that's what most of the pegasi

call Percy." "Why?" Apollo enquired. Artemis sincerely face-palmed. "He's the son of

Poseidon!" "So?" "Poseidon, you know, god of the sea, creator of horses?" "Ohh,

yeah!" "Honestly Apollo." _How are we even siblings astounds me. _**Blackjack the **

**pegasus was an old friend of mine, so I tried not to get too annoyed by the **

**craters he'd just put in the hood; but I didn't think my stepdad **(Poseidon's face

fell a fraction at this) **would be real stoked. "Blackjack," I sighed. "What are **

**you-" Then I saw who was riding on his back, and I knew my day was about to **

**get a lot more complicated. "Sup, Percy." **"Beckendorf." Annabeth sighed. "My

son? Charlie Beckendorf?" asked Hephaestus. "Yeah", the trio murmured, but they

didn't look the god in the eye. Before Hephaestus could ask another question, Nico

said,"Just read." **Charles Beckendorf, senior counselor for the Hephaestus cabin **

(Hephaestus smiled at that) **would make most monsters cry for their mommies. **

Hephaestus was full out grinning at this, so was the trio. **He was huge, with **

**ripped muscles from working in the forges every summer, two years older than **

**me, and one of the camp's best armorsmiths. **"The best." said Annabeth. "Really?"

asked Hephaestus. "Really really**." He made some seriously ingenious mechanical **

**stuff**. "That's so true", said Annabeth. "He could fix anything", added Nico. Thalia

silently agreed. If Hephaestus wasn't proud before, he sure was now. **A month **

**before, he'd rigged a Greek firebomb in the bathroom of a tourbus that was **

**carrying a bunch of monsters across the country. The explosion took out a **

**whole legion of Kronos's evil meanies as soon as the first harpy went flush. **

"Wicked!" complimented Hermes. "Awesome!" went Apollo. They both looked at each

other, "We should totally do that!" they both went. "NO, at least not until the book

is finished!" "Yes Aunt Hestia" was her reply. **Beckendrof was dressed for combat. **

**He wore a bronze breastplate and a war helm with black camo pants and a **

**sword strapped to his side. His explosives bag was slung over his shoulder. **"I'm

sure it'll be explained, keep reading." said Annaeth before anyone could ask, she

looked kind of grave, having knowing the outcome to the mission. **"Time?" I **

**asked. He nodded glumly. A clump formd in my throat. I'd known this was **

**coming. We'd been planning for it for weeks, but I'd half hoped it would never **

**happen. Rachel looked up at Beckendorf. "Hi." "Oh, hey. I'm Beckendorf. You **

**must be Rachel. Percy's told me... uh, I mean he mentioned you." **"Are Percy and

Charlie friends?" Demeter was actually the one who asked this. "Yeah, Beckendorf

was one of Percy's closest friends at camp, it was the same for Beckendorf as well."

stated Annabeth. Pseidon and Hephaestus smiled at each other, they had no

problems with each other, they were actually pretty close_. I guess that goes well for _

_out children as well_ thought Haphaestus**. Rachel raised an eyebrow."Really? **

**Good."She glanced at Blackjack, who was cloppimg his hooves against the Prius. **

**"So I guess you guys have to go save the world now**." "No, they're just going to

blow up Kronos's ship filled with monsters to delay it from reaching New York. Oh,

and they had to do it unnoticed, no it's not hard at all." Annabeth stated

sacarstiscally. She was getting really edgy about the upcoming mission, she had to

vent somehow. "What!" yelled Hephaestus. "They're going to what?" Everyone

looked shocked, they never expected that. Each were pulled frome their frantic

thoughts when they heard: "Oh, now the title makes sense!" realized

Persephone. "The title was "I Go Cruising With Explosives", now we know what that

means." "Look", started Artemis,"Let's just continue reading. We'll won't know what

actually happend if we just think of the worse,okay? Hermes, if you

will." Hermes had known of his child Luke's fate for some time now. _I wonder what _

_the others will do when they find out?_ Hoping for the best he began to read again. 

**"Pretty much," Beckendorf agreed. I looked at Rachel helplessly. "Would you **

**tell my mom-" "I'll tell her I'm sure she's used to it. And I'll explain to Paul about **

**the hood." I nodded my thanks. I figured this might be the last time Paul loaned **

**me his car. **Nico snorted. "You think?" **"Good luck." Rachel kissed me **"WHAT!"

exclaimed Thalia and Nico. They both scrutinized Annabeth. "What?" she

questioned, a little annoyed. They both gave her surprised looks. "If you're going to

judge my reaction about the kiss, I already know about it." Another round of

"what!" echoed around the throme chamber. "Yeah," Annabeth replied slowly as if

she were talking to infants. "You knew?" asked Nico. "Obviously. Seaweed Brain told

me. Then Rachel sought me out and told me." Thalia was staring at her in

shock. She was about to ask, when Annabeth said tersley "She's still alive and we're

friends, are we not?" "Fair point." "Why are you two worried of her reaction to a simple

kiss? There's nothing going on between those two, is there?" asked Aphrodite, a tad

bit too excited. "NO, there isn't and there never will be!" roared Ahtena. "Hahaha, a

daughter of Athena and a Son of Poseidon, that's likely," snorted Artemis. "I'll bet

you five drachmas that they're together, Artemis," said Persephone. "Me, too," Said

Hestia. "Fine, but they are not!" "We'll see, now won't we." Poseidon on the other

hand, wouldn't have minded if his son and this daughter of Athena were together.

He just wanted his son to be happy, honestly. _Besides, she seems very sarcastic _

_and fun, to trade insults with that is. _"You don't know that Athena!" screeched

Aphrodite, "The workings of love are very mysterious!" "No! They are not together,

right Annabeth?" Annabeth just raised an eyebrow before saying "Continue Hermes."

This didn't settle right with Athena at all. **before I could even react. "Now, get **

**going, half-blood. Go kill some monsters for me." **Pfffft, you want some amazing

monster killing, you come to me!" shouted Ares**. My last view of her was sitting in **

**the shotgun of the Prius, her arms crossed, watching as Blackjack circled higher **

**and higher, carrying Beckendorf and me into the sky. I wondered what Rachel **

**wanted to talk to me about**, "Oh Seaweed Brain, really?" said Annabeth with

stunned disbelief, while at the same time Thalia was shaking her head and

muttered,"Kelp for Brains." **and whether I'd live long enough to find out. **

"Pessimist," coughed Nico. Hestia sent Poseidon a knowing look; he rolled his eyes

in response. **"So," Beckendorf said, "I'm guessing you won't want **

**me to mention that little scene to Annabeth." **Annabeth shook her head in

agitation, _Honestly. "_Are you two together?" inquired Hermes. Annabeth said slyly,

with wide, innocent eyes, "But wouldn't that ruin the book that you should just carry

on reading?" Hermes got the hint. **"Oh, gods," I muttered. "Don't even think about **

**it." **Here, Annaeth proceeded to roll her eyes, _Really. _**Beckendorf chuckled, and **

**together we soared out over the Atlantic.** Just as Hermes was about to start

reading the next paragraph, a bright flash of light and red mist swarmed the throne

room, and one other figure thumped loudly out on the floor.

**TBC**

* * *

><p>(A.N.) Whew, 4th chapter done! How was that? Was it good? Who came out of the red mist? And why am I asking so many questions? I'll try to update ASAP, but don't expect an update tomorrow. Any suggestions on who should come out of the mist are welcome!<p> 


	5. Chapter 5 THIS is HIM?

**(A.N.)Holy crap I feel like such a douce for not updating this story sooner! I really have no excuse so I'm not and gonna try and make one... * sigh* I am soooooo sorry to everyone who has been waiting for this chapter for ages, just think of it as your New Years present. And for the people saying that the new year has passed, well than think of it as your Chinese New Year present, which was yesterday, Jan 23, year of the dragon, WOO! Also an humongous thank you to everyone of you awesome people out there who reviewed, added my story on Favs/Alerts, or added me as a fav author! Again my most humble thanks. I hope this longish chapter makes up a bit.**

**Anyways, I am not going to keep you any longer, so you can finally move on to the finally updated chapter...**

***Apologies for any grammatical/spelling error!***

**Legal Disclaimer: I do not own PJO or anything related. Really wished I did though.**

"dialogue"

'thoughts'

**story**

* * *

><p>Coughing, Annabeth waved her hand in front of her face, as to<p>

clear the smoke away. She heard a familiar groan invade her

senses as the smoke finally cleared.

There, on his back groaning (in pain, she wasn't sure) was the

actual living Percy Jackson in all his glory.

"Owww..." Percy groaned and rubbed his face.

Shaking her head out of her shock, Annabeth quickly rushed to

her not-known-to-the-gods-boyfriend.

"Seaweed Brain!"

That exclamation sent the gods reeling in shock. This was the

famed Son of Poseidon, the apparent prophecy child, the evident

best friend of one daughter of Athena.

"Kelp Head!"

"Jackson!"

was also exclaimed as Thalia and Nico had finally gotten over

their shock as well.

They quickly rushed over to his side and made sure he was

alright.

"That had to be some landing, Jackson."

Percy glared at Thalia as she (very hardly mind you) punched him

in greeting.

"Yeah it was. It's not like I'm in immediate pain or anything."

This was answered with a slap from Annabeth.

"Ow! What the heck Wise Girl!"

She just rolled her eyes.

"Seaweed Brain if you can use sarcasm, you're okay."

Another smack.

"Ow! What the-Nico! What was that for?"

"Well, everyone else got to hit you and I was feeling a little left

out."

Nico shrugged.

Percy just rolled his eyes as Annabeth and Thalia laughed. The

gods just stared.

Poseidon looked over his son.

'He actually looks like me'

Most of his children usually had one or two feature of his, that

was all, but Percy really actually resembled him, truly. And this

was true.

Hestia looked over her nephew as the children were talking and

was impressed. He looked exactly like her brother, black locks,

slight tan, and sea colored eyes. As she witnessed the scene

above, she smiled.

'I like you Percy Jackson.'

Athena was having the exact opposite thoughts, as she glared at

the boy. He looked exactly liked his father, and thouht he was no

better.

'How was my daughter able to even converse with this-this-this t

hing!'

Most of the gods shared the negative feelings about Percy,

unforetunately.

But it wasn't like he wasn't used to gods hating his guts, that was

just normal daily stuff.

As the two were laughing, Percy looked around to find out where

he was now, and froze as he saw the gods in their thrones. After

a couple seconds of shock, he sighed.

"What do the gods want us to do now?"

Thalia and Annabeth, who were now finished with their fit, were

at first confused. Annabeth being the daughter of Athena, tried to

think of a way to tell her boyfriend they were in the past.

Not wanting to get pulverized, Percy greeted his Uncles and

Father.

"Lord Zeus, Lord Hades, dad."

He inclined his head at the end, because he was still on the floor

sitting and could not bow.

Some of the gods bristled in shock as he addresed Poseidon so

informally.

'Dad?' Poseidon mused. 'We must be close.'

Turning to his girlfriend, Percy asked

"So, what's going on and why are we here?"

Nico decied to answer.

"We're reading a book."

"A book?"

"Don't worry Seaweed Brain, we'll read it for you."

Percy just glared at you guessed it-Annabeth. Nico and Thalia just

smirked into their palms.

"So we're reading a book, with the gods?"

His eyes then landed on Chiron.

"Chiron?"

Chiron, unsure of how to answer, looked pleadingly at the

daughter of Athena, who sighed.

"Look Seaweed Brain, I'm not sure how to explain this, but yes

we are reading a book. It's in your point of view, and before you

interrupt me, we a back in time."

That got Percy to shut up. He raised his eyebrows.

"Oh? Well that would explain Chiron here, I was just talking to

him. Wait my point of view, of what?"

"Oh you know nothing important, just around the time of the

Battle."

Thalia decided to butt in.

Percy's eyes dimmed.

"Oh... so how far back are we?"

He warily looked at the gods.

"Annabeth is already at camp and Thalia's already a tree."

Nico stated quietly.

Percy just nodded.

"So who's reading and where did you leave off?"

"I am." Replied Hermes.

"And we are at the point of when you and Charlie Beckendorf

were apparently going to do something?" Percy looked at Thalia.

"I thought you said of the Battle?"

Thalia pursed her lips and said,

"Well, yeah maybe it was a little before."

Percy just grimaced.

Annabeth, knowing this was going to be a hard for him, wrapped

her arms around his waist and laid her head onto his shoulders

thinking 'Mother be damned.'

Hestia gave a significant look to Poseidon, who just quirked an

eyebrow in reply, truly wondering at the extent of the relationship

his son had with this particular daughter of Athena.

Athena, being Athena just glowered.

"If everyone agrees, may I begin the story again?" asked

Hermes.

Everyone nodded.

**It was almost dark by the time we spotted our target. The Princess Andromeda **

Percy grimaced again, pulling Annabeth tighter against him.

**glowed on the horizon- a huge cruise ship lit up with yellow and white. From a distance, you'd think it was just a party ship, not the headquarters for the Titan lord. **

"What!" the gods exclaimed. "Why are you going there?"

worriedly asked Poseidon.

Blinking up at his father, Percy gave a small smile, it seems as his

fahter already cared.

Before he got to answer Hestia answered.

"They're going to blow it up Poseidon, honestly didn't you listen

to the title of the chapter?"

He just pouted.

"Doesn't mean I can't want MY son from going anywhere near it."

Hestia just rolled her eyes.

**Then as you got closer, you might ntice the giant figurehead-a dark-haired maiden in a Greek chiton, wrapped in chains with a look of horror on her face, as if she could smell the stench of all the monsters she was being forced to carry. **

Apollo snorted, but didn't comment as he saw the glare on his

sister's face.

**Seeing the ship again twisted my gut into knots. **

"Was that supposed to be a pun?" Nico asked, trying to lighten his cousin's down mood.

Others who didn't get it looked on in confusion.

Percy smiled at Nico, knowing what he was trying to do and said,

"Honestly, probably not."

**I'd almost died twice on the Princess Andromeda. **

"Then why are you going back?" asked Poseidon in an almost

mother hen fashion.

"Because we had too." Was his sighed reply.

"What happend the other two times?" asked Hephaetus who was

worried for both his son and Percy.

Percy and Annabeth shuddered. They replied together.

"Don't ask."

"It couldn't have been that bad, right?" asked Nico hesitantly. The

looks he got were answer enough.

**Now it was heading straight for New York. "You know what to do?" Beckendorf yelled over the wind. I nodded. We'd done dry runs at the dockyards in New Jersey, using abandoned ships as our targets.**

Persephone bit her lip anxiously and looked at the son of

Poseidon. Seeing his down mood, she knew something bad was going to happen. She just knew it.

**I knew how little time we would have. But I also knew this was our best chance to end Kronos's invasion before it started. "Blackjack" I said, "Set us down on the lowest stern point." _Gotcha, boss, he said. Man, I hate seeing that boat._**

"The feeling is mutual." Percy muttered under his breath, thankful

of Annabeth's comforting presence.

**Three years ago, Blackjack had been enslaved on the Princess Andromeda until he'd escaped with a little help from my frieds and me. **

"Aww, poor thing." cooed Aphrodite.

**I figured he'd rather have his mane braided like My Little Pony than be back there again. **

The quartet (which is how I will address the trio and Percy now) laughed. Except Ares, he just snorted cuz' he don't do laughs.

**"Don't wait for us," I told him. _But boss- _"Trust me," I said. "We'll get out by ourselves." **

Here Percy sighed guiltily.

**Blackjack foled his wings and plummeted toward the boat like a black comet. The wind whirled in my ears. I saw monsters patroling the upper decks on the ship-dracaena, snake-like women, hellhounds, giants, and the humanoid sea-demons known as telkhines-**

Poseidon groaned as he heard the list of monsters. How in Hades

were his son and Charlie Beckendorf going to get out of this

alive?

**but we zipped by so fast, none of them raised the alarm. **

Poseidon and Hephaetus sighed in relief. 'Thank gods for small

miracles.'

**We shot down the stern of the boat, Blackjack folded his wings, lightly coming to a landing on the lower deck. I climbed off, feeling queasy. **

"This is not a good time to feel queasy Kelp Head." joked Thalia

without mirth, even though she knew Percy survived, she knew

how hard it was to hear how Beckendorf died.

_**Good luck, boss, Blackjack said. Don't let 'em turn you into horse meat!**_

Chiron smiled. This pegasus sure had personality.

**With that, my old friend flew off into the night. I took my pen out of my pocket **

"That's so stupid dude. You're gonna fight with a pen." said Ares,

who was lookig at Percy with digust. Percy, just raised an

eyebrow and took Riptide out and uncapped it.

Ares, who was going to make a comment when he saw Percy pull

out Riptide, abruptly shut his mouth when he saw the glowing

celestial bronze sword.

"Riptide," Poseidon whispered as the rest of the gods looked onto

the famed sword with shock. Percy capped it and put it back in his

pocket.

"Please continue Lord Hermes."

**and uncapped it, Riptide sprag to full size-three feet of deadly celestial bronze glowing in the dusk. Beckendorf pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. I thought it was a map or something. Then I realized it was a photograph. He stared at it in the dim light – the smiling face of Silena Beauregard, daughter of Aphrodite.**

"Aww that's so sweet!" Aphrodite squealed, happy her daughter

had found someone.

**They'd started going out last summer, after years of the rest of us saying "Duh, you guys like each other!"**

"Does that remind you of anyone Thalia?" said Nico innocently as

Thalia replied "No, I have no idea who that reminds me of."

They both were staring at Percy and Annabeth who rolled thier

eyes in response.** Even with all the dangerous missions Beckendorf had been happier this summer then I had ever seen him.**

Hephaestus smiled, glad that his son was happy.

"**We'll make it back at camp." I promised. ****For a second I say worry in his eyes. Then he put on his old confident smile.**

"**You bet," He said. "Let's blow Kronos back into a million pieces."**

**Beckendorf led the way. We followed a narrow corridor to the service stairwell, just like we practiced, but we froze when we heard noises above us. **

Everyone looked wary, and worried, except Ares, he looked excited for a fight.

"**I don't care what your nose says!" snarled a half-human, half-dog voice – a telkhine. "The last time you smelled half-blood, it was a meatloaf sandwich!" **

"Eew, meatloaf." said Nico with his nose scrunched up. He had some bad experiences with that dish...

"**Meatloaf sandwiches are good!" a second voice snarled. "But this is half-blood, I swear. They are on board!"**

"**Bah, your **_**brain**_** isn't on board." **

"Wow Seaweed Brain, they don't even know you're on board, and

they still talk about you! " said Annabeth with a smile.

"Whoa,whoa, whoa Beth, who said Kelp for Brains over here had brains?"

Thalia grinned.

Percy groaned. "What is it? Pick on Percy day?"

"Yup!"

**They continued to argue and Beckendorf pointed downstairs. We descended as quietly as we could. Two floors down, the voices of the telkhines began to fade. **

**Finally we came to a metal hatch. Beckendorf mouthed the words "engine room".**

**It was locked, but as Beckendorf pulled some chains cutters out of his bag**

"Oh yes the new in accessory." Percy added.

**and split the bolt like it was made of butter. **Inside, a row of yellow turbines the size of grain silos churned and hummed. Pressure gauges and computer terminals lined the opposite wall. A telkhine was hunched over a console, but he was so involved with his work, he didn't notice us. He was about five feet tall , with slick black seal fur and stubby little feet. He had the head of a Doberman, but his clawed hands were almost human.****

Annabeth shuddered as she remembered the Labyrinth.

****He growled and muttered as he tapped on his keyboard. Maybe he was messaging his friends on .****

**I stepped forward, and he tensed, probably smelling something was wrong. He leaped sideways towards a big red alarm button, but I blocked his path. He hissed and lunged at me, but one slice of Riptide, and he exploded into dust.**

Ares face fell as he realized there would be no awesome fight.

"**One down," Beckendorf said. "About five thousand to go."**

**He tossed me a jar of thick green liquid – Greek fire, one of the most dangerous magical substances in the world. Then he threw me another essential tool to demigod heroes **

"A shield?" "Thermal gloves?" "A map?"

**– duct tape. **

"What?"

"Well that does make sense."

"I guess**."**

"**Slap that one of the console," he said. "I'll get the turbines."**

**We went to work, the room was hot and humid, and in no time we were drenched in sweat. **

" Ugh, that's absolutely revolting!" exclaimed Hera.

**The boat kept chugging along. Being the son of Poseidon and all**

"You just have to brag about that, don't you?" Annabet said

exasperatley.

"Wise Girl when you're me you have bragging rights."

"Too true." went Nico. Annabeth just rolled her eyes. "Wise girl?"

questioned Hestia to Poseidon. He just shrugged.

"Well it does make sense with her being a daughter of Athena

and all."

**I have a perfect bearing at sea. Don't ask me how, but I could tell we were at 40.19 degrees North, 71.90 degrees West, making eighteen knots, which would arrive in New York Harbor by dawn. **

"You know that is really useful," went Thalia.

"You could instantly know where we are."

"You mean like a GPS?" added Annabeth.

Laughter resounded as Percy rolled his eyes.

"Does it work on land?" Nico asked.

"Umm..." started Percy.

"Not unless I'm close to a larger body of water." He nodded.

**This would be our only chance to ****stop it. **

"You know I really hate to admit this, but out of the three of us,

you have the most useful powers, Kelp Head." stated Thalia

shaking her head in mock envy.

**I had just attached a second jar of Greek fire to the control panels when I heard pounding feet on metal steps – so many creatures coming down the stairwell I could hear them over the engines. Not a good sign. **

Hephaestus bit his lip in worry.

**I locked eyes with Beckendorf, "How much longer?"**

"**Too long." He tapped his watch, which was our remote control detonator. "I still have to wire the receiver and prime the charges. Ten more minutes at least."**

**Judging from the sounds of footsteps, we had about ten seconds.**

"**I'll distract them." I said. "Meet you at the rendezvous point."**

"**Percy –"**

"**Wish me luck."**

"Dude, this is not good, not good at all." said Apollo. Artemis

glared at her brother for stating the obvious.

**He looked like he wanted to argue.**

**The whole idea had been to get in and get out without being spotted. But we had to improvise.**

"**Good luck." He said.**

**I charged out the door. **

"Finally some fighting!" said Ares.

**A half dozen telkhines were tromping down the stairs. I cut through them with Riptide faster than they could yelp. I kept climbing – past another telkhine, who was so startled he dropped his Lil' Demons lunch box. I kept him alive – partly because his lunch box was cool, **

"Really Seaweed Brain?" Annabeth said.

"Boys," Thalia said as she shook her head.

Athena just scoffed.

**partly so he could raise the alarm and hopefully get his friends to follow me rather than head towards the engine room. **

"Oh Seaweed Brain." Annabeth sighed. Her boyfriend was so selfless.

**I burst through a door onto deck six and kept running. I'm sure the carpeted hall was once been very plush, but over the last three years of monster occupation the wallpaper, carpet, and stateroom doors had been clawed up and slimed so it looked like the inside of a dragon's throat (and yes, unfortunately, I speak from experience.) **

Hermes looked up.

"You've been inside a throat of dragon?"

Percy and Annabeth looked liked they wanted to laugh and cry at the same time, remembering.

Smiling sadly, Percy said, "That's a story for another time."

The gods just stared in curiousity. Poseidon just shook his head.

'What the hell had his son been through?'

**Back on my first visit to the **_**Princess Andromeda, **_**my old enemy Luke **

"Do you mean Hermes' Luke?" asked Athena, for she knew not of any other.

"Yes, that one," replied Percy knowing that with Hermes shake of

head that the other gods didn't know of his fate yet.

"Why would you two be enemies?" inquired Athena further, she

liked Luke, she thought he was good for her daughter.

Annabeth pursed her lips, her mother was cornering Percy.

"It's a very long story mother, let it go." she said in a cold voice.

Hestia cut in before Athena could reply, seeing the distress the

younglings were in, "Hermes just continue."

She got a glare in return.

**had kept some dazed tourists on board for show, shrouded in Mist so they didn't realize they were on a monster-infested ship. I hated to think of what had happened to them, but I kind of doubted they'd be allowed to go home with their bingo winnings. **

"Not likely," sighed Chiron, at least hoping their passing was

painless.

**I reached the promenade, a big shopping mall that took up the whole middle of the ship, and I stopped cold. In the middle of the courtyard stood a fountain. And in the fountain squatted a giant crab. **

"How big is big Kelp Head?" asked Thalia.

"Maybe the crab is actually small, but the smallness of your brain

just makes it appear large."

Thalia smirked. "Thalia!"

Percy groaned.

"Must you try and insult at every oppurtunity you get? Besides if

my brain is small, that just yours tiny."

Percy stuck out his tongue at her. She just crossed her arms and

stuck her tongue out back.

Many gods raised their eyebrows at this peaceful exchange.

Shouldn't they be trying to rip each others' heads out for the

insults?

**I'm not talking "giant" like $7.99 all-you-can-eat-Alaskan king crab. I'm talking **_**giant **_**like bigger than the fountain. The monster rose ten feet out of the water. Its shell was mottled blue and green, and its pincers larger than my body. **

"Oh... so not that large then," said Nico sarcastically. Hades just

watched his son with rapt attention, taking in every detail.

**If you've ever seen a crab's mouth, all foamy and gross with whiskers and snapping bits, you can imagine this one didn't look any better blown up to billboard size. **

Aphrodite grimaced as she imagined the crab.

**It's beady black eyes glared at me, **

"Everything seems to glare at you Seaweed Brain."

"I know."

**and I could see intelligence in them – and hate. The fact that I was the son of the sea god was not going to win me any points with Mr. Crabby.**

"**FFFfffff," it hissed, **

"Oooh, sooo intimadating," drawled Thalia.

**sea foam dripping from its mouth. The smell coming off him was like garbage can full of fish sticks that had been sitting in the sun all week. **

"Ughh, Percy must you have the most realistic descriptions?"

complained Nico.

**Alarms blared. Soon I was going to have lots of company and I had to keep moving.**

"**Hey, crabby." I inched around the edge of the courtyard. "I'm just gonna scoot around you so –" **

"Coward," scoffed Ares. He was met with five very menacing

glares for that statement.

**The crab moved with amazing speed. It scuttled out of the fountain and came straight at me, pincers snapping . I dove into a gift shop, plowing through a rack of t-shirts. A crab pincer smashed the glass walls to pieces and raked across the room. I dashed back outside, breathing heavily, but Mr. Crabby turned and followed.**

"**There!" a voice said from a balcony above me. "Intruder!"**

**If I'd wanted to create a distraction, I'd succeeded, but this was not where I wanted to fight. If I got pinned down in the center of the ship, I was crab chow. **

"Wow Jackson you're actually tactful enough to figure this out!"

exclaimed Thalia looking innocent, but if one gazed in her eyes

they would see the mischieviousness.

**The demonic crustacean**

"Oh my gods Seaweed Brain, you actually used big words!"

**lunged at me. I sliced with Riptide, taking off the tip of its claw. It hissed and foamed, but didn't seem very hurt.**

**I tried to remember anything from the old stories that might help with this thing. Annabeth had told me about a monster crab – something about Hercules crushing it under his foot? That wasn't going to work here. This crab was slightly bigger than my Reeboks. **

"Only a little bit, " said Annabeth. 'If he could get under it he

could defeat it,' thought Poseidon hopefully.

**to our cabin at Montauk, where we'd been going forever. Paul had taken me crabbing, and when he'd brought up a net full of things he'd shown me how crabs have a chink in their armor, right in the middle of their ugly bellies.**

**The only problem was getting to the ugly belly.**

**I glanced at the fountain, then at the marble floor, already slick from scuttling crab tracks.**

**I held out my hand, concentrating on the water, and the fountain exploded. Water sprayed everywhere, three stories high, dousing the balconies and the elevators and the windows of the shops. The crab didn't care. It loved water. It came at me sideways, snapping and hissing, and I ran straight at it, screaming. "AHHHHHHH!"**

"Genius! That could work Seaweed Brain!" exclaimed Annabeth,

already knowing what her boyfriend planned to do. Realization

appeared on the other two's faces and they gave appreciative

glances.

**Just before we collided, I hit the ground baseball-style and slide on the wet marble floor**straight under the creature. ****

"Nice," commented Apollo and Hermes.

****It was like sliding under a seven ton vehicle. All the crab had to was sit and squash me, but before it realized what was going on, I jabbed Riptide into the chink in its armor, let go of the hilt, and pushed myself out backside. ****

Even Ares thought this was pretty good, but he had enough pride

not to voice it.

Poseidon smiled, that was his son.

**The monster shuddered and hissed. Its eyes dissolved. Its shell turned bright red and its insides evaporated. The empty shell clattered to the floor in a massive heap. **

**I didn't have time to admire my handiwork. I ran for the nearest stairs while all around me monsters and demigods shouted orders and strapped on their weapons. I was empty-handed .**

"How are you going to survive this boy?" asked Artemis

rhetorically**. **

**Riptide, being magical, would appear in my pocket sooner or later, **

Most of the gods sighed in relief at this.

**but for not it was stuck somewhere under the wreckage of the crab, and I had no time to retrieve it.**

But then groaned at this.

**In the elevator foyer of deck eight, a couple of **_**dracaena **_**slithered across my path. From the waist up, they were woman with green scaly skin, yellow eyes, and forked tongues. From the waist down, they had double snake trunks instead of legs. They held spears and weighted nets, and I knew from experience they could use them.**

"**What isss thisss?" one said. "A prize for Kronosss?"**

**I wasn't in the mood to play break-the-snake, **

The trio snorted.

**but in front of me was a stand with a model of the ship, like a ****you are here ****display. I ripped the model off the pedestal and hurled it at the first **_**dracaena. **_**The boat smacked her in the face and she went down with the ship. I jumped over her, grabbed her friend's spear, and swung it around. **

Hades gave his nephew a glance, one man, no teenage boy took

on almost an entire ship of monsters all on his own.

Unbelievable.

**She slammed into the elevator, and I kept running toward the front of the ship.**

"**Get him!" she screamed.**

**Hellhounds bayed. An arrow somewhere whizzed past my face and impaled itself in the mahogany-paneled wall of the stairwell.**

**I didn't care – as long as I go the monsters away from the engine room and gave Beckendorf more time. **

Hestia shook her head. This boy was the most unselfish demigod

she had ever met.

**As I was running up the stairwell, a kid charged down. He looked like he'd just woken up from a nap. His armor was half on. He drew his sword and yelled, "Kronos!" but he sounded more scared than angry. He couldn't have been more than twelve – about the same age I was when I'd first arrived at Camp Half-Blood. **

Poseidon nodded at this.

**That thought depressed me. This kid was getting brainwashed – trained to hate the gods and lash out because he'd been born half Olympian. Kronos was using him, and yet the kid thought I was his enemy. **

Aphrodite sighed at this, it was just so sad.

**No way was I going to hurt him. I didn't need a weapon for this. I stepped inside his strike and grabbed his wrist, slamming it against the wall. His sword clattered out of his hand.**

**Then I did something I hadn't planned on. It was probably stupid. **

The trio groaned. "What did you do?"

**It definitely jeopardized our mission, but I couldn't help it. "If you want to live," I told him, "get off this ship **_**now. **_**Tell the other demigods." Then I shoved him down the stairs and sent him tumbling to the next floor. **

"Idiot," whispered Athena, never jeopardize a mission just to

save a handful of people when you could be saving thousands.

**I kept climbing.**

**Bad memories: a hallway ran past the cafeteria. Annabeth, my half brother Tyson, **

Hestia looked up sharply. "You have a brother?"

Percy grinned. "Yeah, he's an amazing metal smith."

"But demigods aren't immune to fire?" continued Hestia, sincerely confused.

"Oh yeah..." said Percy, sheepish "He's a cyclops."

Poseidon smiled softly his son was one of a kind, not many of his

offspring would acknowledge their cyclops brothers.

**and I had sneaked through here three years ago on my first visit. **

**I burst outside the main deck. Off the port bow, the sky was darkening from purple to black. A swimming pool glowed between two glass towers with more balconies and restaurant decks. The whole upper ship seemed eerily deserted.**

**All I had to do was cross the other side. Then I could take the staircase down to the helipad – our emergency rendezvous point. With any luck, Beckendorf would meet me there. We'd jump into the sea. My water powers would protect us both, and we'd detonate the charges a quarter of a mile away.**

**I was halfway across the deck when the sound of a voice made me freeze. "Your late, Percy."**

**Luke **

"What is he doing there?" asked Athena.

**stood on the balcony above me, a smile on his scarred face. He wore jeans, a while T-shirt, and flip-flops, like he was just a normal college-age guy, but his eyes told the truth. They were solid gold **

"WHAT?" The gods looked at Hermes, who confirmed their fears

as he nodded.

The gods knew that he could not intervene with his son's fate and

didn't blame him, some giving him sympatheic smiles.

****We've been expecting you for days." At first he sounded normal, like Luke. But then his face twitched. A shudder passed through his body as though he'd just drunk something really nasty. His voice became heavier, ancient, and powerful – the voice of the Titan lord Kronos. The words scrapped down my spine like a knife blade. "Come, bow before me."****

"**Yeah, that'll happen," I muttered. **

"And you really wonder why so many people are out for your

head," said Annabeth shakig her head. Thalia snorted. Nico

laughed.

**Laistrygonian giants filed in on either side of the swimming pool as if they'd been waiting for the cue. Each was eight feet tall with tattooed arms, leather armor, and spiked clubs. Demigod archers appeared on the roof above Luke. Two hellhounds leaped down from the opposite balcony and snarled at me. **

**Within seconds I was surrounded. A trap: there's no way they could've gotten into position so fast unless they'd known I was coming.**

****I looked up at Luke, and anger boiled inside me. I didn't know if Luke's consciousness was even alive inside that body. Maybe, the way his voice had changed… or maybe it was just Kronos adapting to his new form. I told myself it didn't matter. Luke had been twisted and evil long before Kronos possessed him. ****

"No he wasn't," whispered Percy, not knowing the gods could hear him clearly.

******A new voice in my head said: **_**I have to fight him eventually. Why not now? **_****

"That is probably one of the most stupidest things you have ever

thought Percy." said Nico.

**According to that big prophecy, I was supposed to make a choice that saved or destroyed the world when I was sixteen. **

"No pressure," snorted Percy.

**That was only seven days away. Why not now? If I really had the power, what difference would a week make? **

"A lot," the quartet said in sync.

**I could end this threat right here by taking down Kronos. Hey, I'd fought monsters and gods before. **

"Oh yeah who?" challenged Ares.

Percy just raised his eyebrows.

"No one really just this arrogant, cocky god who threatend my friends. It was fairly easy to defeat him."

Percy said smirking, as the trio was laughing.

Ares snorted. "Probably just minor gods."

This made Percy smile.

**As if reading my thoughts, Luke smiled. No, he was **_**Kronos. **_

"Make up your mind," whispered Thalia.

**I had to remember that.**Come forward," he said. "If you dare." ****

**The crowd of monsters parted. I moved up the stairs, my heart pounding. I was sure somebody would stab me in the back, **

"Possibility," said Annabeth in her analytical voice.

"Thanks Wise Girl," replied Percy.

"Glad to know you'd like someone to stab me in the back."

"Of course Seaweed Brain! Didn't you know that was my most

treasured wish," retorted Annabeth as she leaned further in

Percy's embrace.

He just smiled.

**but they let me pass. I felt my pocket and found my pen waiting. I uncapped it, and Riptide grew into a sword.**

**Kronos's weapon appeared in his hands – a six-foot0long scythe, half Celestial bronze, half mortal steal. Just looking at the thing made my knees turn to Jell-O. But before I could change my mind, I charged.**Time slowed down. I mean **_**literally **_**slowed down, because Kronos had that power.****

**I felt like I was moving through syrup. My arms were so heavy, I could barely raise my sword. Kronos smiled, swirling his scythe at normal speed and waiting for me to creep toward my death. **

Poseidon fidgeted in nervousness and worry.

**I tried to fight his magic. I concentrated on the sea around me – the source of my power. I'd gotten better at channeling it over the years, but now nothing seemed to happen. **

The trio were frowning, they knew Percy was going to survive, but

he never did tell them exactly what happend.

**I took another slow step forward. Giants jeered. **_**Dracaena **_**hissed with laughter.**

_**Hey, ocean, **_**I pleaded. **_**Any day now would be good.**_

**Suddenly there was a wrenching pain in my gut. The entire boat lurched sideways, throwing monsters off their feet. Four thousand gallons of salt water surged out of the swimming pool, dousing me and Kronos and everyone on the dock. The water revitalized me, breaking the time spell, and I lunged forward. **

"WHAT?" exclaimed the gods in absolute shock. Annabeth, Thalia

and Nico were gaping.

Zeus was positively seething. It had taken him a decade to beat

his father and yet this lone demigod could just challenge his

father and suddenly they're on equal terms?

****I struck at Kronos, but I was still too slow. I made the mistake at looking at his face - **_**Luke's face – **_**a guy who was once my friend. As much as I hated him, it was hard to kill him.******Kronos had no such hesitation. He sliced downward with his scythe. I leaped back and the evil blade missed by an inch, cutting in the deck right between my feet.**

**I kicked Kronos in the chest. **

Nico and Hades snorted. Hades looked on in surprise.

**He stumbled backward, but he was heavier than Luke should've been. It was like kicking a refrigerator.**Kronos swung his scythe again. I intercepted with Riptide, but his strike was so powerful, my blade could only reflect it. The edge of the scythe shaved off my shirtsleeve and grazed my arm. It shouldn't have been a serious cut, but the entire side of my body exploded with pain. I remembered what a sea demon had once said about Kronos's scythe: **_**Careful, fool. One touch, and that blade will sever your soul from your body**_**_._

_"_So,no, not dangerous at all," Apollo said.

**Now **I understood what he meant.****

**I wasn't just losing blood, I could feel my strength, my will, my identity draining away.**

Thalia groaned. "But your will is probably the only thing that kept

you going all this time cuz."

**I stumbled backward, switched my sword to my left hand, and lunged desperately. My blade should've run him through, but it deflected off his stomach like I was hitting solid marble. There was no way he should've survived that.**

**Kronos laughed. "A poor performance, Percy Jackson. Luke tells me you were never his match at swordplay."**

**My vision started to blur. I knew it didn't have much time. "Luke had a big head," I said. "But at least it was **_**his **_**head." **

"Really Percy? Your like have dead and you're still insulting him?" said Nico

"**A shame to kill you now," Kronos mused, "before the final plan unfolds. I would love to see the terror in your eyes when you realize how I will destroy Olympus."**

"**You'll never get this boat to Manhattan." My arm was throbbing. Black spots danced in my vision. **

Annabeth was crushing his hand in her worry, but Percy didn't say

anything. If anything he just pulld her closer.

"**And why would that be?" Kronos's golden eyes glittered. His face – Luke's face – seemed like a mask, unnatural and lit from behind by some evil power. "Perhaps you are counting on your friend with the explosives?"**

**He looked down at the pool and called, "Nakamura!" **

**A teenage guy in full Greek armor pushed through the crows. His left eye was covered with a black patch. I knew him, of course: Ethan Nakamura, the son of Nemesis. I'd saved his life in the Labyrinth last summer, **

"Whoa, whoa,whoa, the Labyrinth, like _the_ Labyrinth," said Artemis, glancing at the quartet.

"Uh..yeah that one,"said Percy. "How did you find it?" asked Chiron, curious.

"In one of our forest hunts," was the reply.

Before anyone else could ask, Zeus complained, "Can we just get

on with the damn book already?"

**and in return, the little punk had helped Kronos come back to life."**Success, my lord," Ethan called. "We found him just as we were told."****

**He clapped his hands, and two giants lumbered forward, dragging Charles Beckendorf between them. My heart almost stopped. Beckendorf had a swollen eye and cuts all over his face and arms. His armor was gone and his shirt was nearly torn off.**

Hephaetus almost piereced his lip in his worry.

"**No!" I yelled.**

**Beckendorf met my eyes. He glanced at his hand like he was trying to tell me something. **_**His watch.**_** They hadn't taken it yet, and that was the detonator. Was it possible the explosives where still armed? Surely the monsters would've dismantled them right away.**

"**We found him amidships," one of the giants said, "trying to sneak to the engine room. Can we eat him now?"**

"**Soon." Kronos scowled at Ethan. "Are you sure he didn't set the explosives?"**He was going **_**toward**_** the engine room, my lord."****

"**How do you know that?"**

"**Er…" Ethan shifted uncomfortably. "He was heading in that direction. And he told us. His bag is still full of explosives."**

**Slowly, I began to understand. Beckendorf had fooled them. When he'd realized he was going to be captured, he turned to make it look like he was going the other way. He'd convinced them he hadn't made it to the engine room yet. The Greek fire might still be primed! But that didn't do us any good unless we could get off the ship and detonate it. **

Persephone knew something bad was about to happen, she just had that foreboding feeling he had before, only stronger now.

**Kronos hesitated.**

_**Buy the story, **_**I prayed. The pain in my arm was so bad now I could barely stand.**

"**Open his bag," Kronos ordered.**

**One of the giants ripped the explosives satchel from Beckendorf's shoulders. He peered inside, grunted, and turned it upside down. Panicked monsters surged backward. If the bag really had been full of Greek fire jars, we would've all blown up. But what fell out were a dozen cans of peaches.**

**I could hear Kronos breathing, trying to control his anger.**

"**Did you, perhaps," he said. "capture this demigod near the galley?"**

**Ethan turned pale. "Um – "**

"**And did you, perhaps, send someone to actually CHECK THE ENGINE ROOM?"**

**Ethan scrambled back in terror then turned on his heels and ran.**

**I cursed silently. Now we had only minutes before the bombs were disarmed. I caught Beckendorf's eyes again and asked a silent question, hoping he would understand: **_**How long?**_

**He cupped his fingers and thumb, making a circle. **_**Zero.**_

**There was no delay on the timer at all. If he managed to press the detonator button, the ship would blow at once. We'd never be able to get far enough away before using it. The monsters would kill us first, or disarm the explosives, or both. **

Everyone was literally on the edge of their seats.

**Kronos turned towards me with a crooked smile. "You'll have to excuse my incompetent help, Percy Jackson. But it doesn't matter. We have you now. We've known you were coming for weeks."**

**He held out his hand and dangled a little sliver bracelet with a scythe charm – the Titan lord's symbol.**

**The wound in my arm was sapping my ability to think.**

**I muttered, "Communication device.. spy at camp." **

"What! Who?" "How did he get a spy in camp?" asked Hades,

mulling over possibilities.

**Kronos chuckled. "You can't count on your friends. They will always let you down. Luke learned that lesson the hard way, Now drop your sword and surrender to me, or your friend dies." **

**I swallowed. One of the giants had his hand around Beckendorf's neck. I was in no shape to rescue him, and even if I tried, he would die before I got there. We both would.**

**Beckendorf mouthed one word: **_**Go**_

"Percy's not gonna leave you," said Apollo,grinning at Percy.

However, Percy didn't see it as he buried his face in Annabeth's

sweet smelling hair, as he knew what was about to take place.

**I shook my head. I couldn't just leave him.**

**The second giant was still rummaging through the peach cans, which meant Beckendorf's left arm was free. He raised it slowly – toward the watch on his wrist.**

"He's really gonna do it," said Hades quietly, he didn't particularly

like demigods, but this one deserved respect for what he was

about to do.

**I wanted to scream, **_**NO!**_

**Then down at the swimming pool, one of the**_** dracaena**_** hissed, "What isss he doing? What isss that on hisss wrissst?"**

**Beckendorf closed eyes tight and brought down his hand up to his watch.**

Hephaetus face was twisted in horror, as much as he hated to

admit it he had favorites, and Charles, even though young, was

one of his.

**I had no choice. I threw my sword like a javelin at Kronos. It bounced harmlessly off his chest, **

"Probably because he eats cereal," said Demeter trying to

convince the other gods, who were really not paying attention to

her.

She frowned.

**but it did startle him. I pushed through the crowed of monsters and jumped off the side of the ship – toward the water a hundred feet below. **

**I heard rumbling deep in the ship. Monsters yelled at me from above. A spear sailed past my ear. An arrow pierce my thigh, but I barely had time to register the pain. I plunged into the sea and willed the currents to take me far, far away – a hundred yards, two hundred yards.**

**Even from a distance, the explosion shook the world. Heat seared the back of my head. The **_**Princess Andromeda **_**blew up from both sides, massive fireball of green flame roiling into the dark sky, consuming everything.**

**Beckendorf, I thought,**

**Then I blacked out and sank like an anchor toward the bottom of the sea.**

The room was absolutely silent.

The trio had forlorn faces, as Annabeth pulled Percy closer to her

when she saw the silent tears stream down his face.

Poseidon looked to Hephaetus, about to say condolences, when

the Blacksmith god shook his head and smiled a sad smile.

Poseidon was one of the better gods, he knew the basics of what he was going to say.

Everyone else was stunned as they watched the silently sobbing

son of Poseidon.

But of course, they didn't realize the depth of companionship

between Percy and Charles.

Hepheatus gazed at Percy sadly.

'The poor boy, having to go through so much and having to lose

comrades at every turn.'

Everyone was silent as they payed respects for the lone demigod.

Until the silence was interrupted by Hera as she got out

irritably,"Can we read the next chapter already!"

She got several glares and a murderous stare in reply.

* * *

><p><strong>(A.N.) Oh. My. Gods. I actually finished this chapter! Again so sorry for the wait! Hopefully it won't take as long to upload next time! If I do take a long time, you all are free to flame me. Although I must admit, the nice reviews inspired this. Thanks to all! R&amp;R!<strong>


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